Join the Civic Projects!

MARK YOUR CALENDERS FOR JANUARY 16th, 2010.

On January 16th of 2010, from 9am to 5pm you can join Tim Malcolm and Kirsten L'Orange, founders of The Civic Projects, at RVHR. RVHR is just one of their stops during their 14,000-mile cross country journey to promote social awareness and service by volunteering at 50 community organizations in 50 states in 50 days.

Lunch and drinks will be available along with hot coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

For more information on The Civic Projects and to make a donation please visit

www.thecivicprojects.org

for information/questions about joining us on the 16th email pat@rvhr.com

Sincerely,

Patricia L. Muncy

President RVHR

A Horse Woman's Christmas

It's the night before Christmas, we're out in the barn
Blanketing horses to keep them all warm
They're eating their dinners, tucked in cozy stalls
Not aware that it's Christmas or any special day at all

They can dream of spring pastures from their pine-scented beds
No visions of sugarplums dance in their heads
But we people are thinking of merry parties and such
Maybe feeling a little sad at missing so much

This season is special but the horses don't know
We've got work to do before we can go
We finish the chores and head on inside
To get ready for dinner and our own yuletide

It's nearly midnight, the carols are sung
I remember a story I was told when I was young
How at midnight on Christmas Eve
The creatures of the barnyard can speak to us with ease

I am called to the barn, I wade through the rain
I know I must go, I can't really explain
I slide open the door, pause for a while
Then slowly walk down that dully lit aisle

A nicker from Casey, a wink from JD
Sleepy old Alibi waking to see
Tucker rustling his bedding, a snort soft and light
Each horse gave a greeting as I walked through the night

I thought about parties bright lit and warm
The ones we don't go to 'cause we have the barn
And vacations and holidays that we don't get
When we're working long hours for bills to be met

Walking all the way to the end of the aisle
I stop to stroke Bonnie, it brings me a smile
She snuffles my face, hot breath on my skin
It starts me to thinking about my horses, my kin

I could be at parties with laughter and mirth
But where I am right now is the best place on Earth.


-author unknown

US plan to round up wild horses draws opposition

SPARKS, Nev. – One of most stirring symbols of the American West — mustangs thundering freely across the range — could be heading east.

The government wants to carry out what is believed to be the biggest-ever roundup of wild horses on federal land, moving as many as 25,000 mustangs and burros to pastures in the Midwest and East out of fear their fast-multiplying numbers will lead to mass starvation.

The plan is facing heated opposition from advocates, including celebrities Sheryl Crow, Bill Maher and Ed Harris, who contend the proposal is itself inhumane and unnecessary. They say the situation is not as dire as the government has painted it.

"The Obama administration must craft a new policy that protects these animals and upholds the will of Congress and the public's desire to preserve this important part of our national heritage," said William Spriggs, lawyer for the group In Defense of Animals.

He and other advocates spoke out Monday at a hearing on the proposal, held by a federal advisory panel at a hotel-casino near Reno. The panel took no immediate action.

The government argues that the mustang population in 10 Western states is growing so rapidly that the horses are quickly running out of food, in part because of drought ravaging the region.

The federal Bureau of Land Management says the number of wild horses and burros on public lands in the West stands at nearly 37,000, about half of them in Nevada. An additional 32,000 wild horses already live away from the range in federal-run corrals and pastures, and those are nearly full.

"We are concerned about the numbers," Robin Lohse, chairwoman of the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, said during the hearing. "Time is not on our side."

The BLM said last year it would have to consider destroying wild horses because of their escalating numbers and the costs of caring for them. But earlier this year, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the BLM, a part of the Interior Department, would instead ship 11,500 to 25,000 horses from the range to pastures and corrals in the Midwest and East.

The exact destinations have not been decided, but Salazar believes Plains states would make the most sense in terms of water and forage, said Don Glenn, chief of the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program. He said Salazar also wants at least one site in the East.

The relocation plan is part of a long-running feud over wild horses in the West, where mustangs have roamed ever since they arrived with Spanish settlers centuries ago.

Ranchers view wild horses as a menace to their grazing land and were allowed to kill them until 1971, when the practice was banned. The government has made numerous efforts of its own over the years to control the population, including using a contraceptive vaccine. But capturing and injecting mares with the vaccine one at a time has proved costly and time-consuming.

In recent years, the government has rounded up and relocated wild horses to other lands in the West. Helicopters are used to drive the mustangs toward cowboys with lassos. The cowboys then put the horses onto trucks.

The latest proposed roundup, however, would take the horses outside the West altogether.

The California-based Defense of Animals strongly opposes roundups, arguing that the horses are an integral part of the ecosystem and that using helicopters can traumatize, injure or kill the animals.

The BLM spent about $50 million this year to feed, corral and otherwise manage the nation's wild horses, up from $36 million last year. Without contraception or other such measures, mustang herds can double in size about every four years, authorities say.

One of the most vocal wild-horse advocates is Grammy-winning singer Sheryl Crow, who has adopted a mustang herself and took her concerns directly to Salazar in a recent telephone call.

"One of the first things he said was something must be done because the horses are starving. We don't believe it," Crow said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Sniffer dog that went missing in action after Afghan battle is discovered safe and sound after 14 MONTHS lost in the desert

Nice feel good dog story, happy Veterans Day!

full story

Flying Changes Mane Event Fundraiser

Come One, Come All
Join us at
The Mane Event
to support Flying Changes of Virginia
and their four-legged therapists.

Flying Changes of Virginia is a non-profit, equine assisted program. We offer innovative equine assisted activities for people with physical and developmental delays, as well as, at-risk youth and their support networks. Show your support and learn more by joining us at The Mane Event. For information about Flying Changes and to purchase your tickets for The Mane Event, visit our website at flyingchanges.net.

WHAT: Wine Tasting, Desserts, and Silent Auction
WHEN: Saturday, November 14th, 2009 from 7 – 9:30pm
WHERE: German Club Manor, Virginia Tech Campus

click here for an event flyer

Mom's Lap - Newborn Colt

Great Dressage Clip

RVHR: Trucks and Trailers Needed

We need help. RVHR has round baled almost 200 4x4 bales of hay in Botetourt. We need volunteers with Trucks and Flat Trailers to help bring the hay here to the Rescue in Hardy.

If you can help please let us know. We only have 1 truck and a 16 foot trailer which only holds 12 bales at a time.

Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Patricia Muncy

Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue

Mailing Address P.O. Box 13

Hardy, VA 24101

Facility:

1725 Edwardsville Road

Hardy, Virginia 24101

540-797-1999
info@rvhr.com

Roanoke College Equestrian Club Fundraiser

Wednesday, Sept 9, 11am - 7pm
Elizabeth Campus
Salem, VA

Free Trail Rides and Equestrian Demonstrations

Grab some friends and head up to Elizabeth Campus for free trail rides and educational demonstrations!! The Roanoke College Equestrian Club is holding a fundraiser to benefit the Vicki Taylor Cancer Benefit Fund and want to see you there! There will be no admission or ride fee, but we kindly accept any donation you can give!!

Trail rides around Elizabeth Campus and clinics/demonstrations will run from 11am until 7pm, so come between classes, come during lunch, or come after classes let out for the day. Bring friends and enjoy the horses!

This event if for everyone, students, faculty/staff, residents of Salem, Roanoke and the New River Valley.

information or questions:

equestrianclub@roanoke.edu

The Horse and U Festival

Check out The Horse and U Festival at The Reba Farm Inn
Saturday, September 19th

www.rebafarminn.com
Kathleen & Ron
888-235-3574

Toxic Mushroom Risk for Horses in Kentucky Pastures Due to Wet Weather

by: University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture

At the beginning of August, the University of Kentucky's Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) received several calls regarding the presence of mushrooms in pastures around eastern Kentucky. Callers were concerned about whether it presented a problem for livestock to graze on pastures with mushrooms.

"Mushrooms appear to be more prevalent this year due to the rainy wet weather," said Cynthia Gaskill, DVM, PhD, who is a clinical toxicologist at LDDC, in a statement released by the LDDC on Aug. 3. "Thousands of species of mushrooms exist, many of which do not pose a threat to animals. However, a number of poisonous mushroom species exist and can potentially cause poisoning in animals.

"Mushrooms can contain a variety of toxic substances, and clinical signs vary greatly depending on mushroom type and toxins present," the statement continued. "Identification of mushroom species is virtually impossible for the lay person and can even be difficult for experienced mycologists. Identification of mushrooms and determination of risk can be assisted by providing information on regional location, growth substrate, and tree type if growing in association with trees."

"Reducing exposure is always helpful with any potential toxicosis. Fortunately, mushroom toxicity in large animals is a rare occurrence. We see this more in small animals," Gaskill said.

For more information on risks of toxic mushrooms, information on where to send mushrooms for identification, control of mushrooms, clinical signs associated with toxic mushrooms, and additional details, contact Gaskill at 859/253-0571, ext. 148, or e-mail cynthia.gaskill@uky.edu.

Astride with Pride 6th Annual Benefit Show

showflyer

Dear Friends,

Astride with Pride’s 6^th Annual Fall Benefit Show is just around the corner. We are working hard to get things ready to make this the best show yet! We’re offering classes for Hunters, Halter, Western Pleasure, Saddle Seat, Walking Horses, Ranch horse, Speed Event horses and more! Please share this email with anyone you think would be interested in the show as a participant, sponsor or otherwise.

Proceeds from this show helps us keep our equine herd going throughout the winter months, when riders are not able to come for lessons because the cold affects their health. The show earnings also benefit those riders wishing to attend our TRAV state therapeutic horse show in October.

We have been serving riders as young as three and well into their 60’s since 1995. Riders with Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, Autism, Developmental Delays, Spina Bifida, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Strokes, and other mental, physical and emotional conditions, benefit from horseback riding weekly. Some of our teen volunteers didn’t have a niche until they came to our program. Now they are confident, outgoing young people making their mark in the world.

Our program is a Premiere Accredited center, the highest standard possible through NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) and we are a member center of TRAV (Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia).

This program relies on volunteers and donors to help our riders. We are blessed with wonderful teens and adults who give their time so our riders can soar.

Please consider sponsoring a class, a therapeutic rider, the show or anything in between and beyond. Every bit helps our riders continue to grow.

Volunteering that day is also greatly appreciated as the show starts at 9 am and runs til late at night. At one point, there will be three arenas running consecutively.

Thank you for your support and all you do!!

Sincerely,

Stormie Shelton-Hazen

Executive Director/Head Instructor

540-587-0668

astridewithpride@aol.com

www.astridewithpride.org

Stolen Horse

On July 7-9 my 6-7 year sorrel mare was stolen from our pasture on Puppy Creek Road in western Amherst County. She is just less than 14 hands high with a flaxen mane and tail and a white sock on her left rear leg.

Please contact me at bpryor@centralva.net or the Amherst County Sheriff's Office at 434/ 946-9300 or your local law enforcement ALSO 911

We have reason to believe that she may be or have been in the Hurt/Pittsylvania area but that is just a lead.

There is a $500 REWARD FOR THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THE PERSON OR PERSONS THAT TOOK HER.

Location: Pleasant View western Amherst County$500 REWARD

Virginia Horse Race: A Grand Spring Tradition

By Carolyn Turner Washington 08 May 2009

It is a rite of spring for Washington area horse lovers -- The Virginia Gold Cup. The 84th race took place last weekend in Plains, Virginia.

The event is more than watching the races

The Virginia Gold Cup is one of the oldest steeplechase races in the United States, an annual event since 1922. Some 50,000 spectators turn out each year for a series of six races over a challenging course.

Gloomy skies threatened this year's event, but the well dressed crowd didn't shrink from the occasion, especially women in fancy hats. There was even a competition for the most outlandish hat. Samantha Swan says she made her own. "Plus these are feathers from my friend who is a falconer," she explains. "From her falcon."


-more-

Winningest Horse Trainer Dead at 72

(Newser Summary) – Dale Baird, the trainer with the most wins in the history of horse racing, died Sunday in a car accident at age 72. Baird racked up 9,445 wins—no other trainer even has 7,000—in a storied career at the West Virginia racetrack now known as Mountaineer. Despite his success, Baird remained a modest trainer who ran mostly claimers, reports Kentucky's Blood-Horse.

"I don't think people quite understand the impact he had on racing," said a track official. As an owner, Baird led the country in victories 17 times, the LA Times reported. The car accident occurred Sunday in Indiana when Baird, hauling an empty horse trailer, lost control of his SUV and crossed a highway median. Two teenagers also died in the crash.

—Jesse Andrews

Fenney defends Grand Prix title at Roanoke Valley Horse Show

By Ray Cox, The Roanoke Times

Different horse, same result for Tracy Fenney.

Capping a spectacular week of show jumping at the Roanoke Valley Horse Show, Tracy Fenney rode MTM Centano to a rousing championship in the $50,000 Grand Prix of Roanoke Saturday night.

A substantial Salem Civic Center audience hooted and hollered as Fenney edged fellow Texan Aaron Vale for first place in the six-horse jump-off tie-breaker. Fenney, who first appeared at this show last year, was the defending Prix champion aboard S&L Willie, who also qualified for the jump-off and finished fourth.

None of the horses over the shorter course in the extra period came home fault-free. Fenney took down one fence rail for four faults but still blazed through with a time of 41.007 seconds. She then had to suppress whatever anxiety she might have had as Vale, he of the record nine Prix wins here, appeared next to last in the jump-off with previously unheralded Wilkie Van't Merlesnest, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.

"It was terrible," Fenney said. "It's always rough going near the beginning then having to wait for the rest of the class."

A last minute entry, Wilkie ended with eight faults and sixth place.

"I was thrilled with her performance," Vale said. "This was her first Grand Prix."

-more-

Lost Horse Found!

7 days later the lost horse has been found on the Parkway.... more details soon!

LOST HORSE - HELP NEEDED!

A horse got separated from it's rider on Saturday, 5/23/09, in the National Forest near Fringer Road/Lithia (Buchanan). He is a dun quarter horse gelding, named Dan, fully tacked.There is a $250 reward offered for the safe return. If anyone has any information, please call Candice Polling (owner) at 540-797-2747 or Stephanie Suprenaut at 540-537-4442.

There have been many groups of horses and people searching the area since Dan went missing. Thank you to all who have helped!!

The Pioneer Woman - A blog worth visiting

Have some time? Looking for a great blog? Check out www.ThePioneerWoman.com. Excellent stories, photography, recipes, and everything else about life on a ranch.

It's Derby Time!!

2009 Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race currently covers one and one-quarter miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs; colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg), fillies 121 pounds (55 kg). The race, known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It typically draws around 155,000 fans.

Are you good enough to pick the Derby or Oaks winner now? Place a Kentucky Derby Future Wager or Kentucky Oaks Future Wager and get early odds that could be much more attractive than race day odds. Bet on your favorite now, cash in when the race is run!

The Kentucky Derby is one of the crown jewels of the elusive Triple Crown which includes the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes.

For over 125 years the Kentucky Derby has been everyone's race - from the dapper men and beautiful women, all in hats and sipping on frosty mint juleps, to the laid-back infield crowd who picnic on fried chicken and toss around Frisbees.


-more-

Polo captain: Tainted vitamin killed 21 ponies

see http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1012081.html for details

BE CAREFUL WHAT SUPPLEMENTS YOU GIVE YOUR HORSES, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE SOURCE!!! - SW Virginia Horse Connection

BY ANDREW MARRA AND BILL DiPAOLO

Palm Beach Post

The 21 polo ponies that died in Wellington Sunday were all injected before the game with a vitamin supplement called Biodyl -- and team members believe a tainted dose caused their deaths, the team's captain said.

Juan Martin Nero, captain of the Lechuza Caracas polo team, told the La Nacion newspaper in Buenos Aires that all of the horses had received Biodyl injections before the game.

''We don't have any doubts about the origin of the problem,'' Nero said. ``There were five horses that weren't given the vitamin and they are the only ones that are fine.''

Biodyl is a French-made supplement that contains Vitamin B, selenium and chromium, La Nacion reported.

Nero said that Biodyl ``is what the horses are always given.''

''For us, the suspicions are that there was something bad in the laboratory,'' Nero said. ``They're common vitamins that aren't given to improve performance but rather to help them recover from exhaustion.''

Dr. Scott Swerdlin, a veterinarian at the Palm Beach Equine Club who helped treat the animals as they were dying, told the Post that Biodyl is not approved for use or sale in the United States.

But a licensed veterinarian could obtain Biodyl by submitting a prescription to a pharmacy containing the recipe for the supplement, he said.

If Biodyl shows up on the tests, now being done in Kissimmee and Gainesville, an independent lab should determine if the Biodyl mix was correct, said Swerdlin.

''Biodyl is routinely used in Europe as a vitamin supplement,'' Swerdlin said. ``My practice does not use it.''

''It's dangerous,'' Kentucky-based veterinarian Fernando Garcia told La Nacion. 'Ordering it from France isn't an easy task because you have to specify what its use will be and in what animal. In the case of the polo ponies' deaths, I don't think it was Biodyl but it could have been an imitation.''

Well-known Wellington polo patron Neil Hirsch, who co-owns the Bridgehampton Polo Club on Long Island, said vitamins are commonly used but rarely administered on a game day.

''Everybody gives their polo horses vitamins,'' Hirsch said. ``But they're given on a Monday or Tuesday when no one's playing. You just don't give them the day of a match.''

Dr. Christie Ward, a veterinarian at the University of Minnesota, said that supplements are generally unlikely to harm horses but that some contain substances that could prove harmful in large quantities.

Selenium, a substance found in Biodyl, ''can be toxic when administered at too high a level,'' she said.

But she added that ``in general, there does not seem to be any high incidence of adverse reactions.''

As the investigation into the horses' deaths presses on, a swirl of speculation is surrounding the renowned polo team's Argentine veterinarian.

Felix Crespo, a former competitive polo player, was the Lechuza Caracas team's top man in charge of the horses' health, and he would have been the one to oversee their diet and any supplements or injections they may have received, people familiar with the team say.

A call to Crespo's cellphone in Argentina was answered by his daughter, who said he was still in Palm Beach County.

Drinking from the tap at Brook Hill Farm

SWVHC Welcomes Brook Hill Farm

At Brook Hill Farm we believe in second chances. Every year, thousands of equine athletes suffer from neglect or potentially career-ending injuries. Many other horses are neglected or abused, and are left alone to die in their fields. Horses that appear healthy, but are lame, may end up at auction, their future bleak. Brook Hill Farm provides a safe haven for these horses.

Besides accepting horses in need from all over the country, the farm also serves as the local horse rescue for the surrounding area. Veterinarians, a professional farrier, and a dedicated staff of equine professionals and trained volunteers work together to create and execute a rehabilitation plan uniquely tailored to each horse's situation. Once the horse completes their rehabilitation plan, they are adopted out, enlisted as equine teachers in our United Neigh program, or offered a permanent home on property to live out the rest of their life in peace and security. Many are able to resume a competitive career with local 4H and Pony Club participants.

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization endorsed by the Unwanted Horse Coalition and rely on public support to care for and rehabilitate these horses in need. Please visit our website to learn more about our unique programs, find opportunities to help, and maybe even meet your “forever horse”.

See www.brookhillfarm.org for more information. Also, check out our posts in the forum!!

West Virginia Horse Expo: April 18-19

Click Here for information!

Now Available

Now Available For Placement

Buck 5 Year old gelding Mini. Buck does have birth defects in his back legs.

He needs a family of his own. He has spent the last year here at RVHR working to help raise funds for the horses at the facility.

For more information and more photo's on how you can help or sponsor a horse please visit our website at www.rvhr.com/buck.shtml or email info@rvhr.com .

Ukrop's Golden Gift 2009 to Help RVHR

Ukrop's is pleased to offer Golden Gift 2009.

You can help Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue earn a portion of this year's $200,000 payout! You will earn 1 (one) point for every dollar you spend at Ukrop's from March 2 through March 28. 2009. No registration is required. Just use your UVC Card when you shop. The more you shop, the more points you earn. Check with Customer Service at your Ukrop's store to make certain your mailing address is correct. The more you shop, the more points you earn. In May Ukrop's will mail you a Golden Gift Certificate. When you donate your points at the end of the program Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue can redeem them for a portion of the payout. For more details about this program, please visit www.ukrops.com.

The Golden Gift Certificate will be mailed to you in mid-May. Please mail your points to Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue - P.O. Box 13 Hardy, VA 24101 www.RVHR.com

Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue

Mailing: P.O. Box 13

Hardy, Virginia 24101

540-797-1999
www.RVHR.com

Stone Bridge Farm Winter Schooling Show

Show Flyer

www.StoneBridgeFarm.net

Educational Sunday, Feb. 22, Virginia Tech

click here for details

Rusty arrived today at Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue

New Arrival
Would you like to help us feed this sweet man and others that will be coming to the facility shortly?
Rusty is 20+ YO gelding and only 640 LBS
He is an Animal Control Assisted - Bedford Owner Surrender.

We are in need of Alfalfa Hay and Blue Seal Senior Feeds at this time.
For more information on how you can help or sponsor a horse please visit our website at www.rvhr.com or email info@rvhr.com .

Rusty is the first to arrive of 7 horses in need so far this year. The other 6 will be arriving in the next 7 days.

As the new horses arrive we will be sending out updates. Coming that we know of so far, 2 draft horses 1 arabian and 1 other Qrt horses we are not sure of the breed of the last two.

Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue Mailing: P.O. Box 13 Hardy, Virginia 24101 540-797-1999

Barbara Bower Uses Infrared Photography to Capture Horses in a New Light

Photographer uses unique methods to captures the horse-human relationship.

arbara Bower specializes in equine photography, but she does not create your everyday equine portrait. According to Bower, she photographs the “relationship” between man and horse through complex infrared filters in her camera.

Bower, a well known portrait photographer, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Photography. When she is not on a shoot she teaches programs throughout the year in animal photography to professional photographers across the United States.

She is the co-author of Infrared Wedding Photography and is the recipient of the Professional Photographer Association’s Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degree. She also received the Accolade of Lifetime Photographic Excellence from Wedding and Portrait Photographers International for a combination of her print competitions and speaking engagements.

Bower’s infrared portraits of human and horse invite the viewer to observe a private relationship. Her unobtrusive entry into their world reveals the feelings most horsemen have about the animals they tend and love.

“I do not want to produce just another horse portrait.” said Bower. “Initially, I spend time with the client and the horse, learning what they both have in mind. As I process this information I instinctively ‘see’ the visual and the rest is technique.”

She will be spending the month of February in Wellington, Florida visiting former clients and will be available for a limited number of equine sessions. The focus of her journey south will be to photograph a variety of professional and amateur riders with their horses, before, during and after competition.

Bower will donate a photo session to the silent auction at the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. She is also photographing the rider and volunteers of the year for the slide presentation at their Annual Benefit Auction, Dinner and Dance held at The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on February 20th, 2009.

“Equine portraits are my specialty,” Bower confirms, “But I also want to photograph riders and their individual disciplines this winter. My photography is about the horse, the human and the importance of their symbiotic relationship.”

For more information on Equine Artistry visit: www.equineartistrybybarbara.com.

This is Why You Shouldn't Kill Black Snakes....

Lake County horses find new temporary home after roof collapse

"ATM" is in the foreground while Ann Webb, background,
readies "Burger" as they prepare to transport the quarter
horses from a stable in Gurnee to a stable in Wadsworth.
(Tribune / Stacey Wescott / January 3, 2009)

50 animals were forced to evacuate Lake Villa stables before calamity caused by excess snow

(SWVHC: thank god people were paying attention to the structure of the barn and the snow!)

By Robert Channick |Special to the Tribune

January 7, 2009

A band of 50 homeless quarter horses hit the road over the weekend for temporary shelter and hopefully greener pastures after the roof of their Lake Villa stables collapsed under a foot of snow last month.

Holed up for the last two weeks at an equestrian complex near Gurnee, dozens of national-caliber show horses from Dianne Eppers Stables were loaded onto trailers Saturday for a short haul to an empty barn in nearby Wadsworth, their new home for the next few months during repairs.

"A couple of the grooms heard a noise in the arena at about 7 o'clock in the morning," Eppers said. "When I got down there I saw one of the rafters had a bow in it."

Warned by the Fire Department that a roof collapse was imminent, Eppers put out the word, and soon the phone lines were burning up with concerned horse lovers.

"The networking in the horse world is pretty good," she said. "We made a few phone calls and trailers started coming in the driveway."

By the time the roof caved in about 10:30 a.m., the horses had been safely moved to Fields & Fences, a massive 191-stall equestrian center on Hunt Club Road.

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